The present invention relates to an improved method of operating an electric arc furnace, and in particular concerns the use of an arc stabilizer material which increases the overall operating characteristics of the concerned electric arc furnace.
The electric arc furnace is a well known and commonly employed apparatus for the production of steel. It is a compact and relatively inexpensive device. However, one problem associated with the operation of such a furnace is the cost of electric power. Accordingly, in order to reduce such cost, various techniques have been developed which are intended to replace, at least in part, the electrically generated heat with heat from other sources such as carbon, oil and natural gas. For example, special oxygen-fuel burners have been developed and installed in furnace walls as a means of providing a source of supplemental heat. However, such systems have many operational drawbacks, not to mention their high investment cost.
In addition, it is known in the art that the stability of the electric arc effects the overall efficiency of the electric arc furnace. In this regard, many attempts have been made to stabilize the arc by use of hollow electrodes or special injectors through which various gases and/or solids have been injected into the arc area.
The main purpose of attempting to stabilize the arc is to improve the overall operating parameter of the furnace. For example, in the operation of an electric arc furnace, it is desired to improve the power input rate, decrease the melt down time and use less KWh per ton of melt. Unfortunately, the techniques discussed hereinabove are either too complicated and/or expensive to be utilized significantly on a commercial basis.
Accordingly, it is the main object of the instant invention to provide an improved means of operating an electric arc furnace by utilizing an electric arc stabilizer material in proximity to the metal being melted which yields an arc adjuvant material which helps stabilize the arc so as to improve the power input rate of the furnace, decrease furnace melt down time, and require less KWh/ton of metal melted. The specific type of synthetic polymeric arc stabilizer material utilized in the practice of the invention is critical and will be described hereinafter in great detail.
While the foregoing is the principal object of the present invention, other objects and benefits will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following specification and claims.